1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an interface for enabling retrieval of device monitor data from a solid state storage subsystem.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rotating hard disk drives (HDD) used, for example, in desktop, laptop, notebook, sub-notebook, tablet and embedded computers support an industry-standard advanced technology attachment (ATA) command called Self Monitoring and Reporting Technology (SMART). The SMART function was designed to act as an “early warning system” for pending problems with mechanical media such as HDDs. The integrated controller on the HDD works in conjunction with various sensors to monitor a variety of different parameters within the HDD, such as mechanical wear of the HDD's spindle motor, to determine if any of the parameters are drifting from a norm that would indicate a possible problem with the HDD.
By contrast with HDDs, solid-state storage subsystems generally do not have moving parts. Thus, many of the parameters monitored by the SMART function used in HDDs are not applicable to solid-state storage subsystems. Solid-state storage subsystems generally include non-volatile storage components that can lose the ability to retain data stored thereon after approximately hundreds of thousands to millions of write/erase cycles.
Generally, non-volatile storage components used in solid-state storage subsystems have a finite number of program/erase cycles (usually specified by component vendors as “endurance”) that are recommended or guaranteed for proper data storage and retrieval. The number of such cycles varies by orders of magnitude based on the type of storage component used. Commonly-owned U.S. Patent Application No. 20070260811 A1 entitled “Systems and Methods for Measuring the Useful Life of Solid-State Storage Devices” describes methods and systems that use storage status data to reliably determine or predict when the recommended or guaranteed endurance in a particular non-volatile storage component will be exceeded. In addition, other status data of the solid-state storage such as temperature, operating voltage, etc. can also be important to the determination of the health of the storage subsystem and the prediction of failures.